European Quakers focus on free trade agreements

A programme assistant, Chris Diskin, from the Quaker Council for European Affairs is set to tour Quaker meetings in Britain to help Quakers to explore the negative impact of Free Trade Agreements on economic justice.

Chris Diskin’s work in Europe focuses in particular on the European Union-US TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) and the Canada-EU CETA (the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement) that are in negotiation.

While the EU promotes the TTIP agreement as bringing benefits worth over 500 Euros a year to each European household, QCEA is concerned about possible negative effects that the deals could have on EU citizens’ well-being.

Chris’s talks to Quakers will help them to explore what they think a fair economy is and will apply this lens to the Free Trade Agreements. He will also be looking at areas of interest to Quakers such as sustainability and the environment, workers rights, food safety, democratic governance and corporate power.

Chris will also be able to give a basic overview of the EU institutions and QCEA, as well as giving people an insight into how they can interact and connect with the EU – through the Quaker Council for European Affairs, Members of European Parliament and consultations.

EU parliamentary elections are scheduled for 22/05/2014.
The Quaker Council for European Affairs, founded in 1979, makes representations to European bodies on peace, human rights, economic justice, democratic governance and sustainable energy security issues.

To book Chris Diskin to speak at your Quaker meeting between 2/05/2014 and 7/05/2014 contact Helen Bradford of Quaker Peace & Social Witness on [email protected] or call 020 7663 1071.